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Topic: Crispy skins in roaster ovens (Read 9906 times)

Every year my SIL roasts her turkey in a roaster oven. While the meat is oh so tender and moist there is never a nice golden brown crispy skin on it. Which is no big deal because there isn't an "Oooooo, Wowwww" presentation. The turkey gets carved before it's brought to the table.

I'm making stuffed cornish hens and am thinking about using my roaster oven because, well, I've had the darned thing for 6 months and have only used it once! (I know it's silly )

Is there a trick to getting a nice crispy golden brown skin on birds done in a roaster oven?

Does it matter if the bird is glazed or not? SIL doesn't glaze her turkey.

I would try transferring it to the oven for 15-20 minutes at maybe 400 or so or the broiler for a couple of minutes (keeping a very, very close eye on it so not to burn it). Run a stick of butter over it to maximize crispy factor prior to placing in oven.

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Meditate. Live purely. Quiet the mind. Do your work with mastery. Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds! Shine. ---Gautama Buddah

Nope, you are never going to get crispy skin in that roaster. The meat is amazingly tender and juicy though. The problem is the moisture staying trapped that makes it so juicy, keeps it from getting crispy.

In an oven you get more dry heat and space for the moisture to get away from the meat. Even so, you still have to remove the lid or foil the last 15-20 minutes in the oven to get truly brown crispy skin.

As to the bird shown in the picture, there is an art to making food look appetizing to consumers. It involves camera angles, food dyes/paint and blow torches. Most of the food isn't cooked or not completely so, then tinkered with to make it beautiful. I remember watching some show on how they make commercials for fast food places...none of the food that was used was actually safe to eat.

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Meditate. Live purely. Quiet the mind. Do your work with mastery. Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds! Shine. ---Gautama Buddah

Those food tricks are amazing! I remember seeing a show (years ago) where they used soap bubbles instead of whip cream (or some such thing) because the whip cream melts under the hot lights too quickly in order to take the shot.

I guess the roaster oven is just a huge crock-pot? Which is deceiving in itself because of the term "roaster."

I guess the roaster oven is just a huge crock-pot? Which is deceiving in itself because of the term "roaster."

Pretty much. I think the only real differences are the name and the wire rack in it. I have a 5 or 6 quart crock-pot that I cook chicken in often. It just falls off the bone, but it's nearly impossible to get it out in one piece (it does make mouth watering delicious chicken for dumplings or chicken salad though).

When I want crispy, it has to be done in the oven.

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Meditate. Live purely. Quiet the mind. Do your work with mastery. Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds! Shine. ---Gautama Buddah

I think it is a misnomer to call it a crockpot. I used mine tonight to heat up the squash and mashed potatoes. Then transferred to the oven to roast and back to the roaster to keep warm. Worked perfectly. I don't believe it is anything like a crockpot. I wouldn't do a stew or tough roast in my roaster. I use it as a 2nd oven.

I think it is a misnomer to call it a crockpot. I used mine tonight to heat up the squash and mashed potatoes. Then transferred to the oven to roast and back to the roaster to keep warm. Worked perfectly. I don't believe it is anything like a crockpot. I wouldn't do a stew or tough roast in my roaster. I use it as a 2nd oven.

That's interesting. My old one (which was lost in a flood about 7 years ago) was used mainly by LDH for a double batch of his famous chili -- much like a crock pot was used.

I bought this one mainly because I needed a second oven for a large party. I would really like to use it more for it's intended purpose.

I actually just roasted a turkey today in a roaster and thought of this thread! Ours definitely had a nice crispy skin and needed no additional browning (we like things really browned, not golden but actually dark brown). We didn't do anything differently, but I've noticed that our marinade for the turkey really helps get that result regardless of whether we use an oven or a roaster unless it is cooked in a paper bag, in which case additional browning is needed. We do a rub of salt & pepper, then rub in a paste of fresh garlic and ginger, and then slather with mayonnaise.

I think it is a misnomer to call it a crockpot. I used mine tonight to heat up the squash and mashed potatoes. Then transferred to the oven to roast and back to the roaster to keep warm. Worked perfectly. I don't believe it is anything like a crockpot. I wouldn't do a stew or tough roast in my roaster. I use it as a 2nd oven.

That's interesting. My old one (which was lost in a flood about 7 years ago) was used mainly by LDH for a double batch of his famous chili -- much like a crock pot was used.

I bought this one mainly because I needed a second oven for a large party. I would really like to use it more for it's intended purpose.

The turkey cooks faster in the roaster than in the regular oven so it doesn't seem real similar to a crockpot to me.